Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Has anyone else questioned themselves and asked:Am I really a writer?There are times that I hesitate to share my
craft, to let others know that I write.I hold back.

Maybe, I feel this way because writing is never about me,
even though there may be some of me in everything I write.Writing is hard work.I apply myself, writing and re-writing every
day.So, then why is it so hard for me
to grasp onto that title?

This is something I am working on.How about sharing some of your own feelings
and tips?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Here we are at the beginning to a new week! It is like the start of a book. Ideas of what you would like to happen are laid out before you. How will it end? Will it be as you planned or will surprises await you? I love surprises! Don't you?

Here are a few quotations to start your week. I hope they bring you some inspriation.

"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glit of light on broken glass." - Anton Chekhov

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." - Jimmy Dean

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

"Believe in yourself and in your own voice, because there will be times in this business whn you will be the only one who does. Take heart from the knowledge that an author with a strong voice will often have trouble at the start of his or her career because strong, distinctive voices sometimes make editors nervous. But in the end, only the strong survive. Readers return tiem and again to the unique, the distinctive, storytelling voice. They may love it or they may hate it, but they do not forget it." - Jayne Ann Krentz

Friday, May 18, 2012

Happy Friday! I am working on a new story while I am waiting to hear on my submissions. My main charachter keeps yelling at me and saying: "YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME! YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I WANT TO DO IT MY WAY!" Which I find kind of funny. I thought I was. Am I not the one who created you?

So, with that in mind I took a step back and did some rethinking. Was I pushing my character around? Was I being a dictator or a coach to my character? What I really wanted to be was a coach.

We may create our characters, but it is their journey in our story. They each have problems conflicting with their own goals. They already had plans before our story interupted their lives and made them change course. They weren't just sitting around waiting for something to happen.

Today, I will be getting back to my story and my character. I will challenge him to do his best. I may not always see him as he sees himself. But, I will coach him to be the best he can be and make sure that he has self-assurance, self-discipline, courage and a sense of humor. Hopefully, with all this I will have created a character who is believable and can stand on his own.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Wow! It has been so long since I have been on my blog! Sorry for my absence, sometimes life just gets ahead of you. I hope all is well and I can't wait to catch up on what has been happening and how you are all doing. I have been actively submitting. Now, I am hoping I won't actively be receiving rejections. :)

I know it isn't Monday, but I am going to start with posting some inspirational quotes just to get back on track. Hope you find them as inspirational as I did.

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Agatha Christie

"You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist." - Isaac Asimov

"Believe in yourself and in your own voice, because there will be times in this business when you will be the only one who does. Take heart from the knowledge that an author with a strong voice will often have trouble at the start of his or her career because strong, distinctive voices sometimes make editors nervous. But in the end, only the strong survive." - Jane Ann Krentz

My Picture

About Me

I am a writer of children's stories. I love to write picture books, middle grade and YA. I am a wife, mother (of 4 grown children) and grandmother (of one). I came up for the name of my blog when our grandson was born. My husband said that he would like to be called "Pop!" After hearing this, I decided that I would like to be called "Lolli!" After all, what child wouldn't want to go to "LolliPop's House!" Hence, that is where "Lollipop's Cottage" came from. Besides writing, some of my other interests are sewing/quilting, cooking, drawing and painting. For our daughter's wedding I made her dress, veil, bridesmaids' dresses and my outfit (there are pictures on the left side of my blog). It kept me busy for several months. I have done a bit of traveling. I even landed on a glacier in Alaska and went dogsledding. But, of all the places I have been, my favorite place to visit is inside my grandson's hug. I melt when he says. "Hi Lolli!"

Mom Said She Would Be There

This story is not a children's story but, rather a memoir, as well as, the first story that I wrote. It is dedicated to my Mom:

I called my Mom today, to tell her that we were going to have a baby. She was so excited, and couldn't wait to see me. When we went there for supper a few nights later, she couldn't stop talking about the baby. We told her that the baby was due in October. She said, "It's going to be a girl!" Mom was going to make a sweater set in every color for the baby but, she was going to make a pink sweater first.

In April, we celebrated Mom's forty-eighth birthday! Mom hadn't been feeling well lately. It was spring time and everything was supposed to be fresh and new but, over the next couple of weeks, we found out that my Mom had cancer. Although we were devastated, we were hopeful that she would beat it.

As a child Mom was struck with polio, and she was told that she would never be able to walk. She did, first with braces; and then on her own. She was also told that she would never be able to have children because she had a tipped womb, along with other complications. The doctors were wrong; she had five children.

After the operation for her cancer, she was told that they couldn't get it all but, the doctors would try treating it with chemotherapy. After everything she had been through we just knew she could beat this, too!

Mom kept on smiling and joking with lots of talk about the baby. She wanted to know what we were going to name HER! We told her that we hadn't decided on a girl's name or a boy's name, yet. She just laughed. I visited with her every week, and she always talked about the baby. Each time, I convinced myself that she looked a little better. I couldn't or wouldn't bring myself to see that she was weakening, even when she was leaning over a pail and emptying her stomach because the chemotherapy was making her sick. She never complained; she only said that she was sorry, and she hoped that she was not getting me upset! She just wanted to talk about how I was feeling, and making sure that I was taking care of myself, and the baby. On one of my visits, I noticed that she was crocheting something pink. I knew that it was for the baby. I teased her and asked, "What if it is a boy?" She only responded with "It will be a girl!"

May came and went with more treatment and medications. Each time I visited with her she would be crocheting with the pink yarn. I remember telling her that she would be better before the baby was here. She was so looking forward to it! She told me that no matter what, she would be there when SHE was born!

The month of June rushed in too quickly, and precious time was speeding by. Mom was rushed back into the hospital. Even when they were putting her in the ambulance, as we were all crying; she tried to make us laugh, by discreetly sticking up her middle fingers on both hands. Mom always thought this was funny and would do it just to make us laugh. She was in a lot of pain. Now, my visits consisted of just me talking about the baby, hoping she could hear. She was heavily medicated and couldn't respond. Somehow, I knew that she could hear me.

My Mom passed away on June 25th. She went peacefully in her sleep. 'A Lovely Woman' is the epitaph on her tombstone. She truly was!

The next couple of months passed, with birthing classes, a baby shower, and the setting up of the baby's room. With each event, I kept thinking that she said she wasn't going to be there when the baby came.

Finally October was here, and it was the rainiest night that I could remember having. We were on our way to the hospital, in the downpour. The baby was trying to make its appearance; in the delivery room the doctor said "It's a Girl!"

Mom, you were right all the time! After the doctor cut the cord and laid her on my chest, I looked down and SHE was holding her hands, the same way you always did; both middle fingers up on each hand! It was then that I realized that you were with me all the time!

Dad came in to see us the next day. He brought a package with him from you to me. Dad said that you wanted me to have it. When I opened it, inside was a beautiful pink sweater, hat and bootie set; they had the faint scent of your perfume on them.

The baby wore the sweater set home, all snug and warm, as if in a hug from you. Thank you, Mom! Watch out for her, as you always did for me. Sleep well with the angels. They are lucky to have you! Thank you, Mom for being there!

Writing

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly...Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain." - Author unknown.